Time Passes Slowly
by justcrazyobsessed
Summary: Hermione is kidnapped and tortured. Will her true love find her and save her from this hell? One shot fic. read and Review.


Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. J.K.Rowling does. Tear  
  
Time Passes Slowly  
  
The floor, from what I could feel, was stone and cold. It felt harsh against my skin. I was wearing a skirt, but it had been torn. My legs, for the most part, were bare. My button down blouse was also torn and my hands were bound. I tried to stand up and walk, but invisible restraints held me to the stone wall. I heard muffled voices and they were coming closer.  
  
My entire body aches so I decide that I would have no luck at an escape. I just sit and wait, trying to remember how I got in this situation. I can't remember anything. I had went to my room and was knocked unconscious. Now, I'm here and people are approaching. I try to open my eyes but I can't. They must have been bruised when I was knocked out. I decide to just lay there, allowing whatever torture I was about to receive to happen.  
  
"Look at me mudblood." I was commanded. I try to lift my head and open my eyes, but my efforts are in vain. I want to look my kidnapper in the eye and spit in his face but how can I do that if I can't open my eyes. I decide to spit at his feet instead and apparently he found that funny.  
  
"Bound and tortured and yet you still have all the bravery that got you into that stupid Gryffindor house. No worries. A few more days of torture, and you'll obey my every command. Now look at me!"   
  
I lift my head and force my eyes open, despite the incredible pain. What I saw didn't shock me. "Malfoy, you're just the scum of the Earth." I manage to say. He laughs at this. His head falls back as he lets his cackle ring through the dungeon. His waist length platinum hair reaches past his rear and he looks very feminine. I find this funny but have not the strength to laugh.  
  
"This coming from a mudblood. Now, do you know why you are here?" he asks.  
  
"You mean there's a reason other than to torture me?" I reply in sarcasm.  
  
"Oh- yes. Torture. That is why you're here. But why on Earth would I care to torture you? I am sure you know the reason."  
  
"Get over it, Malfoy. Draco's a big boy. He should be allowed to go out with whoever he chooses without his daddy getting in the way."   
  
"He's engaged, you filth. Did he tell you that?" I wince. No, he had not informed me of that. "He is engaged to a girl whom I approve of and I'll be damned if I have you messing that up for him."  
  
I gather all the strength I have to fight. "He doesn't love her. I'm sure you'll have to force him to marry her. He'll come looking for me." Lucius snarls. I guess he doesn't like the fact that I know Draco all too well.  
  
"He won't find you. But just in case he comes looking, I'll tell him a special lie. He'll believe it, as always, and just forget all about you. Without you in his life, he'll move on and open up to his fiance."   
  
"He's smarter than you give him credit for. You underestimate him. He will be your downfall, mark my words." I had mustered my courage and I feel strong now. That is, until Lucius slaps me across my face. I let out a yelp of pain.  
  
"Don't speak, mudblood. You make the air filthy just by breathing. Now I have a meeting to go to but I have left you with a friend. He will be 'taking care' of you while I am away." A man emerges from the shadows holding a small dagger. "I'll leave you two be." He leaves and suddenly I feel safer with the man holding a dagger that I had felt when Lucius was near.  
  
"Where to start," the man whispers. He glances at my exposed leg and places the dagger on it. I try to push him away but I find I have no strength. He cuts into me but I have no energy to even scream, so I just sit there - letting it happen.  
  
It must have gone on like this for hours, I assume. I had no way of telling time, but he looks weary when he was finished, so I figured it had been a while.   
  
Now I lay here, blood dripping from my limbs, and I pray for Draco to find me. I know I must be in Malfoy Manor. Where else could be so cold? After a few minutes, I pass out and dream of Draco on our wedding day - a dream I fear will never come to pass.  
  
I must have been there for weeks, maybe months but I doubt it. Every day, the man would return. Every time he left, the servant would come and heal me to SOME extent. Lucius wanted me to stay alive as long as possible. He makes sure I keep the scars, though. And the bruises. As long as I am still alive and in as much pain as possible. I never cry though. I don't even yell or scream in pain. I keep on a face of indifference. I will myself to live on. I won't let myself die - not until I see HIM one last time.   
  
The last time I had spoken was with Lucius. I had not made a sound. As I lay here, I wonder how long this torture will go on. One day, I decide to ask the servant a question. "How long have I been here?" She looks at me apologetically.  
  
"It's your seventh month now." I frown. Could it be that long? Yes, it was. It really was. Hogwarts is ending in a week or two. I wonder what the school thinks of my disappearance. It doesn't matter. I will never be found. I will die, alone and miserable. I never told him the truth - I never said those three words that I longed to say. But I don't think of my regrets for too long. I don't want to die with those regrets fresh on my mind.  
  
Suddenly, I stumble onto an idea. Astro-projection. I had read about it while at Hogwarts. It allows you to separate your mind from your body. I tried it once and it worked.   
  
The dark man had not come back in a few days. He did that sometimes, after he'd go extra harsh with the torture. He'd leave me alone for a week or so. I have strength now to try to astro-project. But to who?  
  
Harry or Ron? They'll probably think I'm a ghost. Besides, even if they did believe me, they have no idea how to get to the Manor.  
  
Professor Dumbledore? No, he probably wouldn't come soon enough and would wait for all his ducks to be in a row, and I know I won't last much longer.  
  
Draco? What if he had been told something awful about me? What had Lucius said? I couldn't bare him looking at me in disgust. What if Lucius had told him that I had left him? What if Draco thought I hated him? Despite all of my reservations, he is the best bet. Besides, I have to tell him that I love him. He has to know. I will contact him. I close my eyes and concentrate really hard. I say an incantation and open my eyes to look around.   
  
I'm at Hogwarts, in Draco's room He's at his desk, writing something. I look over his shoulder, and he must sense something, because he turns around. He gasps.  
  
"Draco, I don't have long." I begin.  
  
"Her-Hermione? I-I thought- I thought you were dead."  
  
"Where would you get a silly idea like that?" I already know the answer, though.  
  
"My father said he killed you. I - You- are you a- a ghost? Or another of my hallucinations?"  
  
"Hallucinations? Of me?"  
  
"Yes. There are times - like in class- I'm sitting there, doing my potion and you'll, you'll be standing just there," he said pointing behind him. "Over my shoulder, correcting all of my many mistakes." He goes to put his arms around me, but it goes right through. "I knew it was too good to be true."  
  
"But Draco, no. You're right. I am alive. I'm astro-projecting. I separated my mind and my body, but I don't know how long it will last. Draco, you have to listen. I'm dying. I've lost a lot of blood and at this rate, I'll be dead by the end of the week, regardless of if he returns for some more 'fun'. Before I die, you must know this- I love you. I've loved you since sixth year, that day we got trapped in the library together and after hours of arguing, you kissed me. Do you remember?" He nodded. "I'm in love with you, Draco Malfoy. Even after so many months apart, I love you."  
  
"I love you too." At this point, I wish I could kiss him. "Where are you? I'm coming for you."  
  
"I'm at Malf-" I was cut off. Everything went black. When I could finally focus my eyes again, I saw Malfoy- SENIOR!   
  
"Were you sleeping, mudblood? Did I wake you? I came in and found you sprawled out on the floor." He laughs. "I thought you may have been dead. Pity."  
  
I suck in as much air as possible. I was out of breath from the astro-projection. Lucius just assumed I was weak from torture.   
  
"Now, now, mudblood. I know I haven't visited you in a while, actually since the first night you came, but I'm here once again. My friend says you've yet to make a sound. He was very pleased by this. I guess it's true. Perhaps you are a strong witch. You are, after all, still alive. My servant girl, the one who takes care of you, says some of your wounds have gone so deep that she has no idea how you survived even with her care. She's a great mediwitch so I am surprised to say the least."  
  
I stand up, no longer a weak little girl afraid of death. "I refuse to die from a few cuts and bruises. I am better than that. I will only die in a respectable way. I deserve to be killed by old age or the unforgivable curse. But have your mediwitch do it. You are not good enough to kill me."  
  
He smacks me, but I do not fall. Instead I spit at his feet, but this time, I spit blood.  
  
"As a matter of fact, why don't you have Draco himself do it. Even he is more worthy to kill me. I am no mere witch. I deserve honor and respect in my death. You owe me that much."  
  
"I owe you nothing." He smacks me again this time so hard I stumble backwards, but still I do not fall.   
  
"You owe me the life you have stolen from me. I bet you had no idea, did you? I WAS PREGNANT! TWO MONTHS PREGNANT! YOU STOLE THAT FROM ME!" I shout with rage.  
  
Then I hear a familiar and calming voice. "I will help you work through that, 'Mi." It's Draco. He has a broom in his hands so he must have flown here.  
  
"Son, leave. This in none of your-"  
  
"NONE OF MY BUSINESS?!? Is that what you were going to say? I love this woman, and she was carrying my child. You stole one from me, but I won't let you take the other."  
  
"Son I order you to leave." Lucius barks, taking out his wand and for a second, I'm scared.  
  
"Father, father, father..." Draco laughs condescendingly. "Did you honestly believe I wouldn't come prepared?" Just then, Harry and Ron burst through the door with wands in their hands. I crumple to the floor, weak from all the excitement.  
  
I hear Ron and Harry rushing to beat the crap out of Lucius and if I wasn't so weak, I would smile. I'm scooped up into a strong pair of arms and after a few seconds of trying to figure it out, I recognize them as Draco's.   
  
"'Mi, stay awake. Come on, stay with me. Don't go." I'm drifting in and out and I feel so weak I can no longer keep my eyes open.  
  
"I'm sorry, Draco, for not being strong enough to keep our baby out of harm. I'm so sorry. I love..." I can't finish my sentence. I pass out in his arms listening to him begging me to stay.  
  
I see a white light. I hear familiar voices calling for me to walk towards it - I see my grandma, my grandfather, I even see Sirius Black calling for me. I can also hear other voices. Harry, Ron, and Draco. They are calling, no, begging for me to come back to them. I have a choice to make now. Do I want to live, or die? To die, yes that would be a journey. "White shores are calling." But then... to live. To live is another great adventure. I muster all of my willpower and fight to hang on. I'm coming Draco. I'm on my way.  
  
I sit up with a cold sweat and gasp for air. A hand pushes me down. I open my eyes, scared that Lucius had won and I was back on the stone cold floor of the Manor dungeons.   
  
"Shh... 'Mi. It's just me." Draco coos into my ear. "Come on, just breathe. You're all right. We're in St. Mungo's. You're being taken care of by the best meditwitch's and wizards in the world. I made sure of it. Don't worry. I promise you, you're going to be all right."  
  
I smile for the first time in what feels like an eternity. "Draco," I whisper. "Can you just hold me." I miss his touch, his kiss, his arms around me. I scoot over in my bed and he gets in next to me, wrapping his arms around my waist, pulling me closer to him. I lean my head on his chest and drift off into a deep sleep. This time I knew he would be there when I woke up, and I had only good dreams.  
  
A/N hey. I hope you guys like this. Read and Review if you'd like. I think this is just a one shot fic. If you're going to review, no flames please. I know I probably have a lot of mistakes in there, especially with the past and present verb endings. Oh well (sighs) Thanks to all of you who like it! 


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